Parachute.



J. FUJI.

PARACHUTE.

APPLICATION FILED mac. 1. 19m.

Qw 2m 4 n An H %5 2 w M P J. FUJI. PARACHUTE. APPLICATION FILED DEC: I. I917.

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application filed December 1, 1917. Serial no. aoaeae.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JUsnKn FUJI, citizen of Japan, residing at Fort Stanton, in the county of Lincoln and State of New Mexico, have invented new and useful Improvements in Parachutes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to parachutes or safety devices for aviators and the operators of flying machines of the, heavier than air and lighter than air type, as well as balloonists. The object of the present invention is to provide safety apparatus of the parachute type which may be worn upon the body of an aviator and-which may be quickly released when danger approaches or after an aviator is thrown from or drops from aircraft.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a compact arrangement of parachute in conjunction with a carrying case resembling and worn after the manner of a knapsack, the knapsack acting as a back cushion for the aviator while seated in his airplane or other type of aircraft. The structure or formation of the parachute proper is such that it will fold for compact storage in the casing or container and yet be of sufiicient size to form a practical and safe parachute which will resist the fall of the aviator to an extent which will insure his safe delivery upon the ground without injury. The entire structure including the parachute and the carrying case or knapsack need not weigh more than twenty pounds and will hardly be noticeable on the part of the aviator while comfortably seated in his aircraft.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of arts,

illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side elevation of the improved device as it appears when in actual use.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device when closed.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation thereof with the casing open and the parachute shown partly in full and partly in dotted lines.

Fig, l is a fragmentary perspective view showing the releasing means.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertlcal section showmg the spring for opening the caslng when the releasing means is operated.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section showing the connecting means between the parachute and the casing.

The improved apparatus, comprises as one of the essential elements thereof, a light weight parachute comprising a body 1 of light strong textile material such as silk which is capable of being compactly folded within the casing hereinafter referred to.

The body 1 is of balloon like formation a rear sections being connected together by a hinge pin or rod '5. llnterposed between the front and rear sections 3 and 4 and surrounding the rod or hinge pin 5 is a sprin 6 embodying coils 7 which embrace the re or pin 5, and two divergent arms 8. which,

when the casing is closed, bear against the front and rear sections thereof with a pressure sufficient to throw the rear section 4':

away from the front section 5,,when the fas-- tenin means hereinafter described are release for the purpose of permitting the parachute to freely escape and assume its operative or useful position as show in Fig. l. A hanger or connecting strap 9 is secured firmly between the front and back plies of the front section 1, the front ply 10 being of some soft material such as plush or felt, and suitable paddin 11 being interposed between the plies of t e front section 3 to form a comfortable cushion for the back of the aviator or wearer of the safety device. From the strap or hanger 9, flexible connections ll extend to the resilient hoop 2 of the parachute. The construction described enables the parachute to be compactly folded and stored between thefront and rear sections of the knapsack like casing pr am tainer. Y

The front section 3 of the casing comprises at the top thereof shoulder straps l2, andat a lower elevation, it embodies a belt or body strap 12' havin a suitable fastening device such as a buck e. This enables the entire device to be securely fastened to and worn upon the body of the operator.

llllh tic The means for holding the casing closed and releasing the fastening means therefor,

comprises a button 14.- secured fixedly to the rear section 4 of the casing adjacent to the top edge thereof. In con unction with the button 14, I use a, lever 15 which is pivotally mounted at,16 on one of the shoulder straps.

At one extremity the lever 15 is provided with a socket fastener 17 such a a glove fastener which is adapted to engage the button 14. At its opposite or forward extremity, the lever 15 has attached thereto a pull cord 18 which passes through a guide 19 and has attached to its forward extremity a finger gripor ring 20. When the operatordesires to release the fastening means for the casing and permit the parachute to escape therefrom and assume its useful position, he grasps the ring 20 and gives a quick pull.

This moves the socket member 17 out of engagement with the button 14 with the result stated. A spring 21 interposed between and connected to the lever 15 and the adjacent shoulder strap, is used to prevent accidental release of the fastening means employed to dinarily the ba1-,

Laeaoso loon will be in the neighborhood of fourteen feet in diameter and of suificient size to contain a suflicient number of cubic feet of air to render the device 'as a whole absolutely safe and reliable.

I claim In a safety device for aviators, the comblnation of a container comprising front and rear sections having a hinge connection at their lower edges, fastening means for securing the upper free edges of said sections together, a spring for forcibly opening said sections when disconnected, a parachute attached to the upper edge of one of said sections and comprising a balloon like body of fabric and a self-expanding spring hoop to which the bottom edge of said body is fastened, said parachute being adapted to be compactly folded and placed between the ,front and rear sections of said casing, the

fastening means for said casing comprising a button attached to one section of the casing adjacent to the top free edge thereof, a lever 'fulcrumed intermediate its ends on a part of the device and having a socket member at one end detachably engaging said button, and manually controlled operating means connected with the other end of said lever and arranged within reach of the aviator, said casin embodying shoulder straps, and a body em racing strap.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JUSEKE FUJI. 

